Stanley Roy (Roy) died on 15th June 2013 at home aged 96 years. Funeral Service to be held at St Barnabas Church, Penny Lane, L18 1LZ on Friday 5th July at 11.30 a.m. followed by cremation at Springwood Crematorium L25 7UN at 12.30 p.m..—No flowers by request. Donations to the RAF Benevolent Fund c/o Cravens Funeral Service, Craven Lodge, Broadgreen Road, L13 5SG. Tel: 0151 228 3900.
Roy served as a navigator with 102 Squadron from the 19th July 1941 to 31st July 1942, After completing 28 operations with 102 Squadron Roy was posted to RAF Riccall, where he became Bombing Leader, training the Bomb Aimers. After 12 months at Riccall, he moved to Driffield and became a Base Navigational Officer, covering 3 stations.
Stanley Roy Whipple received his commission on 20th April 1941, he was awarded the DFC for service with 102 Squadron as Acting F/Lt (Gazetted on 18th May 1943). The Citation reads.. "This officer has participated in numerous successful sorties, including attacks on such well defended targets as Berlin, Bremen, Cologne and Essen." In more recent years took up a role at Liverpool University.
I cannot do better than to use Roy's story written by him for Liverpool Collegiate's web site:
http://www.liverpool-collegiate.org.uk/NOTABLES/E_NOTABLE.htm
"I started at the Liverpool Collegiate in 1928, went on to study Classics at Oxford University and graduated in 1939. I returned then to Liverpool to find work and shortly after my return War was declared. I cycled to Oxford and back to enlist. It took me all day each way, as we didn`t have gears on the bicycles then. I continued to work in a temporary job in the Education Department in Liverpool until receiving notice to commence training in the R.A.F.
After initial training, I was posted to R.A.F. Anstey in the Midlands, which was an elementary flying training school. I flew solo in Tiger Moths, but having taken too long with the training, was remustered as an Observer in Paignton, Devon. This was followed by navigation training at Staverton in Gloucestshire, and then stationed in the Isle of Man for bombing and gunnery training.
Having completed training I was posted to an operational training unit in Kinloss, until my commissioning came through. After completing one hundred and twenty three hours of daytime flying and thirty five hours of night flying, I was posted to 102 Squadron in Yorkshire, where I started my operational flying.
My first operational flight was on the 19th July, 1941, when we bombed Cologne. This was followed by Hanover, Frankfurt, Berlin and Dortmund. Most of the raids involved marshalling yards, docks and factories. On the 14th August, 1941, we crash landed after a trip to Hanover. These flights were in Whitleys, and mostly at night when there was a full moon or bright moonlight. We flew many trips, two or three a week, totalling 101 hours of daytime flying, and 188 hours of night flying. The Squadron then moved to Dalby, which is also in Yorkshire, in order for the Squadron to convert to Halifaxes.
In May, 1942, the Squadron went on its first raid in the new aircraft as part of `The Thousand Bomber Raid` to Cologne. I became the Squadron navigational officer for 102 Squadron and briefed the crews on their route, not having as many flights myself, but taking part in raids on Essen, Bremen, Hamburg and Dusseldorf. When I finished operational flying I was awarded the D.F.C.
I was by then a Squadron Bombing Leader, and posted to a conversion unit for crew training on Halifax bombers, as a Bombing Leader. The Halifaxes were based in Yorkshire, while the Lancasters were based mainly in Lincolnshire, along with the Stirlings. About a year later, I was appointed Base Navigational Officer at Driffield, overseeing the navigation of three squadrons."
There is a page about Roy on the 102 "Ceylon" Squadron website including a video of him telling his story here
http://www.102ceylonsquadron.co.uk/memRoyWhipple.html
He came to last years Reunion in Pocklington and attended the Bomber Command Memorial Commemoration last year at which he said he had experienced a very exceptional day.
Details will also be published in the next 102 (Ceylon) Squadron Association newsletter
Our condolences to his daughters and their families
Simon
email: skularatneATaolDOTcom
Tel O1253 885253
Simon Kularatne
Honorary Secretary
102 (Ceylon) Squadron Association
34 Moreton Drive,
Staining,
Blackpool,
FY3 0DR